Hello!
The trouble with writing a homemaking blog is that you can sometimes be tempted not to show any makeovers until they are complete, perfect and established. But that would mean an awfully long time in between posts so I’m not going down that route. Instead I’m making a choice to show progress, in all its messy glory. I love progress stories and seeing how things are coming along. Besides, once something is finished, complete and needs nothing else doing to it it’s slightly over. Which would mean I’d have to start writing about fashion and NOBODY wants that!
This is a corner that I like. I like it because it is right outside the back door by the kitchen and has a nice view. Well, it had the potential of a nice view but the scraggy beech had to go.
As you can see the scraggy beech went and in its place I put (yes it was me, I lifted it in) two pieces of trellis that my Dad had fashioned together when we were at the other house. It gives this corner of the terrace a sort of structure and enables me to grow climbers up it. I have four Clematis vying for its attention and a Jasmin that shall be trained to make its way along the top of the wall. The Clematis, when they are tall enough, I’ll train along some some wooden beams that I’ll attach to the trellis and then to the house a few feet away. Doing this will give us shade in this spot a few years down the road and with four Clematis growing at once it shouldn’t take toooo long.
The trellis needed touching up so before the climbers begin to have their way I gave it a quick coat of Cuprinol, Garden Shades in ‘ Pale Jasmine’. If you’re looking for garden paint then you’ll find no better than this (they are not paying me). I would highly recommend it.
The tallest Clematis was tied to the trellis using garden string, I favour this over twine or rubber ties as it is gentler on the plant, I like the look a lot more and it’s also cheaper. Win, win.
In the bed surrounding this corner I’ve got two white rose bushes (David Austin ‘Claire Austin’) , foxgloves, hydrangea, lupin and peonies.
And, on a misty but warm morning such as this it is a lovely spot to have a few swigs of coffee while the twins eat their breakfast.
It’s coming along, it’s making progress and I’m glad I didn’t wait before showing you. If your own outside space is this size then work with climbers, bushes and taller plants like foxglove. In a few weeks this bed will be packed with colour and seem so full and blowsy. It’ll also smell great due to the presence of the roses, peonies and, in particular, the Jasmine but I’ll have to wait for that one as the plant I bought was teeny.
My vision for this spot is a shaded, flowering, scented nook that will be great for breakfast, lunch or tea or even a barbeque as we currently keep the grill just to the side of this picture.
A glass of Elderflower and Prosecco here once I’ve put the twins to bed in the evening sounds like a nice treat too……..did I tell you we have Elderflower growing?
I didn’t?
Ahhhhhhhh, who wants to know how to make cordial?????
I’ll get on the case.
I love you and thank you so much for reading today.
Cherry x
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totally envious of your outdoor table and chairs! exactly what I would love for our porch:)
This is actually the very reason I like your blog. Before and after pictures are nice but to see the actual work in process is much more inspiring. Otherwise for a person like me it’s completely overwhelming.
It’s looking good already
Oooooh… how utterly lovely! I can really ‘feel’ how special that little corner is going to be (well, is, already!!!) You are an absolute star when it comes to home/garden making!!!! Putting my gardening shoes on right now and off to make myself a ‘nook’!!!! Jennie
Ooo we do an elderflower cordial and a ‘champagne’. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Actually we are pacing the fields each night at the moment to find the right time to pick!! Yum. Although it’s cordial only for me this year as I am brewing baby number three until November! Eeeeee so excited x
Cherry,
I love before & after pictures and “messy glory” is just part of the process.
You have such a wonderful view, and I can envision you and your family enjoying breakfast, lunches and dinners on that patio.
Love the trellis and the beautiful garden you are planting! One thing came to mind when viewing these pictures – solar lights. I can see them planted in the bed that surrounds the table and chairs or hanging from the trellis.
I have several and they give off a warm, candle-lit glow to my garden at night. I think it would be a pretty effect for your patio area, too!
Marilyn (in Dallas)
This is lovely Cherry and good timing for me as i’ve just been planting up some beds in the garden and wondering if I should be cramming more in as they look so sparse. But your post has made me realise I just have to be patient.
Tomorrow morning’s gardening job is to pot up the clematis I bought the other day and start it off up the wall outside the back door where i’m hoping it will brighten up that dark spot beautifully.
Looking forward to seeing more of the transformations.
Take care, Bex.x
Ooh, I went on the Cuprinol site to check out Pale Jasmine and found they have a colour selector where you can choose an item, such as fencing or an arbour, then choose a colour, and you can see what the item looks like in that colour. Lots of fun working your way through all the colours! And no, they are aren’t paying me either…
Hi Cherry, I too have just spent weeks painting meters of my newly erected lattice panels in pale jasmine- I must admit as soon as I started the process I regretted it as it was just soooo time consuming especially my fight with a rubbish fence sprayer! But I finished yesterday and I have to say I’m thrilled with it. I’m seeing it in my sleep now so I immediately recognised it on your trellis too! Your little terrace area there looks fab and I can’t wait to see how it progresses, I love the little table and chair ,where did you get them from? Well I have to go now, I have to paint my garden chairs pale jasmine (they were casualties in my fight with the fence sprayer!) Glutton for punishment!
Keep us posted on your terrace! L x
Cherry you manage to transform corners in such a short time, it looks beautiful already. What inspires me most about you is the effect you have on the Teri Anns’ of this world. You should be proud of yourself. The best things in life really are free, we all need to learn how to enjoy them and be at peace.
This looks really lovely Cherry. I have a very long garden but it has all kinds of odd little corners and one (or a few) of them would be perfect for this!
In fact, this is the kind of inspiration I needed I think
Thanks! xx
Hi Cherry, I’ve just moved my jasmine to get it to climb up the trellising – should i use garden string to get it to climb? at the moment it’s all just a bit messy. Also, can one use that paint to paint over bricks? I’m desperate to paint the brick wall in my garden white or cream but a little scared in case i get it wrong!
Love what you’re doing in your garden x
Yes, tie what you can to the trellis without breaking it. It’ll grow up.
No, get an exterior masonry paint for the wall. The Cuprinol is for garden wood. Hope that helps. Cx
Do you have a garden shed? Is it big enough that I could maybe claim squatters rights over it & just take up residence in your garden?! And that you could teach me green fingered ways?! I’d pay the going rate in prosecco!! The areas you put together are so inviting & so wonderfully calming. As someone who wages a daily battle against depression & anxiety I appreciate the way you approach you home & the space you inhabit with positivity & a desire to create happy places.
Thank you for being so wonderful as to share with us all. For me your style has truly had a life changing effect as I have finally taken to decorating our home & regularly refer to your posts for inspiration & renewed confidence of what a space CAN look like. So, again, thank you
Love to you & your family.
Hi Cherry,
looks lovely! I’d love to learn how to make Elderflower cordial!
Just a note, clematis grow HUGE and it might be too much to have 4 growing in a small space…unless you give them a major haircut every year. Also, note foxgloves are poisonous, but you probably already know that.
Lara
Looks beautiful, I’d love some jasmine in my garden and I’d never really heard of clematis before but now I’m tempted to find something to grow it up!
Can’t wait for the elderflower cordial recipe!
a very pretty post.
totally agree with ‘pale jasmine’, we have a lot of it in our garden. A lot!
x